Concerning the Lagos Town Hall meeting

                                            
During the Lagos Town Hall meeting, Nigeria’s information Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed claimed government was dealing with terrorism by alleged Fulani herdsmen ‘SILENTLY’. Silently? I shivered at the use of that word, if there is any action against terrorism the Buhari government should be LOUD about; it is the ever-growing militancy and terrorism by marauders invading states across the country.
The terrorists should not be perceived to have a ‘special treatment’ from the government. Right now that is the way rational minds irrespective of where they come from will see it, a feeling that President Buhari and his service chiefs are being mindful not to hurt the feelings of sections of the country.
You cannot be dealing with Biafra activists LOUDLY, Dealing with Shiite insurgency VERY LOUDLY, dealing with Boko Harram OVER LOUDLY and threatening to deal with Niger Delta saboteurs thunderously and then chose to deal with Fulani Herdsmen SILENTLY.
The first duty of the Commander in Chief is to protect ALL in the country and the Buhari government is doing well raising that as top of its agenda, however when it comes to the repeated issue of Fulani Herdsmen, government appear to be too shy to engage or simply hoping the issue will just go away, victims of the terrorism spread across Nigeria from the North to the East, West and South. The government must wake up.
That perception might be wrong but government is doing NOTHING PUBLICLY to disabuse the minds of the people.
What should be done?
1. President Buhari should PUBLICLY issue a directive to the service chiefs to deal ruthlessly with any group found carrying offensive weapons be it Fulani or otherwise.
2. Nigerian government should URGENLTY look into the attacks on herdsmen and subsequent counter attacks with an urgent community bases solution that will bring stake holders together and be fair to all.
3. The last time I checked it is illegal to carry offensive and defensive weapons and government should make that clear and enforce the law, photographs of herdsmen carrying AK47 Assault rifles is unacceptable same way it was unacceptable for militants from other parts of Nigeria to carry same.
4. The government should urgently identify communities affected, compensate victims and bring aggressors on both sides to justice.
5. Review grazing laws and brings it in line in a way that will be acceptable to all stakeholders, no part of Nigeria should stop herdsmen from grazing but farmlands should also be protected and it is only an open honest conversation and consultation by stake holders that can resolve the crisis.
6. Recognise that a larger number of the crisis stem from economic inequality and competing need for land and means of production that we have ignored and fail to monitor for the good use of all.
7. Look into the grievances by the Fulani Herdsmen as they have also been victims of attacks by host communities in the past but we hardly read about those attacks.
8. Summon General Officers Commanding areas affected by the crisis and hold them responsible for breakdown of law and order with a directive to PUT A STOP to further attacks and protect both the Fulani Heardsmen and the host cummunities.
What we must stop doing.
1. Stop viewing the killings by both sides as representing the views and desire of the entire ethnic group the come from.
2. Denying the very obvious mass killings that are becoming a weekly event with potential threat to Nigeria’s unity.
3. Stop providing platforms to those who want to use the unfortunate situation for political means by instigating a narrative of untruth and a conspiracy of organised re-colonisation of certain parts of the country.
4. Stop blaming communities for genuinely crying out loud as a result of inability of the government to protect them.
We need to put our thinking caps on to save Nigeria.
Regards

Written by Kayode Ogundamisi